Copyright Vol. 3 Koushi Tachibana Translation by Haydn Trowell Cover art by Tsunako This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental. OSAMA NO PROPOSAL Vol. 3 RURI NO KISHI ©Koushi Tachibana, Tsunako 2022 First published in Japan in 2022 by KADOKAWA CORPORATION, Tokyo. English translation rights arranged with KADOKAWA CORPORATION, Tokyo, through TUTTLE-MORI AGENCY, INC., Tokyo. English translation © 2023 by Yen Press, LLC Yen Press, LLC supports the right to free expression and the value of copyright. The purpose of copyright is to encourage writers and artists to produce the creative works that enrich our culture. The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book without permission is a theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like permission to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), please contact the publisher. Thank you for your support of the author’s rights. Yen On 150 West 30th Street, 19th Floor New York, NY 10001 Visit us at yenpress.com facebook.com/yenpress twitter.com/yenpress yenpress.tumblr.com instagram.com/yenpress First Yen On Edition: September 2023 Edited by Yen On Editorial: Shella Wu Designed by Yen Press Design: Madelaine Norman, Wendy Chan Yen On is an imprint of Yen Press, LLC. The Yen On name and logo are trademarks of Yen Press, LLC. The publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Names: Tachibana, Koushi, 1986- author. | Tsunako, illustrator. | Trowell, Haydn, translator. Title: King’s proposal / Koushi Tachibana ; illustration by Tsunako ; translation by Haydn Trowell. Other titles: Osama no proposal. English Description: First Yen On edition. | New York, NY : Yen On, 2022- | Identifiers: LCCN 2022027184 | ISBN 9781975351502 (v. 1 ; trade paperback) | ISBN 9781975351632 (v. 2 ; trade
paperback) | ISBN 9781975370039 (v. 3 ; trade paperback) Subjects: CYAC: Fantasy. | Witches—Fiction. | Magic—Fiction. | Schools—Fiction. | Identity—Fiction. | LCGFT: Fantasy fiction. | Witch fiction. | School fiction. | Light novels. Classification: LCC PZ7.1.T296 Kin 2022 | DDC [Fic]—dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2022027184 ISBNs: 978-1-9753-7003-9 (paperback) 978-1-9753-7004-6 (ebook)
Contents Cover Insert Title Page Copyright Prologue: An Age-Old Determination, Still Fresh in Her Heart Chapter 1. Receiving a Letter from the Family Head, a Knight Storms Chapter 2. The Witch Conquers Neptune’s Fortress, Deep in the Sea Chapter 3. Unlocking the Heart of a Princess Held Captive Chapter 4. A Solemn Ceremony, a Vow amid Blue Flames Chapter 5. An Ancient Enemy, Reawakening Chapter 6. Here and Now, After Years of Unspoken Feelings Afterword Yen Newsletter
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Prologue An Age-Old Determination, Still Fresh in Her Heart Life is a series of choices, and time is irreversible. If there was ever a single moment that had defined Ruri Fuyajoh’s life, it could only have been that day. That day—seven years ago. The young Ruri had been seated before the head of the Fuyajoh clan in the family mansion. She was surrounded by a group of masked girls, and her mother was behind her. It was such a strange space. Yet Ruri neither felt uneasy nor found it to be in any way out of the ordinary. She merely focused on looking straight ahead toward the far end of the room. Why? Because the flame of determination had been kindled inside her. “Do you mean it?” a quiet voice echoed from behind a bamboo blind that shielded the elevated platform at the end of the room. “…Yes,” Ruri answered calmly as she held her gaze firm. “I will become a mage—strong enough to beat anyone. A mage with the power to defeat any annihilation factor.” At this declaration, the girls seated around her began to giggle. Well, that response wasn’t entirely unreasonable. After all, this was coming from someone who couldn’t even manifest her first substantiation. The girls’ reaction was entirely natural. “Quiet.” But the voice sounding from behind the bamboo blind quickly silenced them. “Ruri. A mage’s power lies in the strength of their heart… Are you truly prepared?” “Yes,” she answered without the slightest hesitation. “So long as Page 1 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
enemies seek to ravage the world, I will defeat them… I’ll be as strong as I need to be. So please…” She paused, clenching her fists tightly. “Please let my brother live a normal life.” Page 2 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
Chapter 1 Receiving a Letter from the Family Head, a Knight Storms The world was dyed in five colors. Mushiki Kuga gazed at the fantastic scene spread out before him from his vantage point on the edge of a towering skyscraper in the void. It was such a strange view. The space, so vast that you couldn’t tell where it ended, was divided into five sections like a cake into slices, each characterized by wholly unique scenery. It was as if he had cut up several postcards and glued them back together as his mood fancied. It was hard to believe that it was all real. In fact, if the old Mushiki had seen this, he would have thought it was a dream or an illusion. But perhaps that was only to be expected. After all, gathered here now— —were the mages lauded as the best in the whole world. “Allow me to provide an overview of the incident once again,” a clear voice echoed throughout that five-colored world. Curiously, the voice seemed to fill every corner of that vast, endless space. “Clara Tokishima, a mage belonging to Shadow Tower, led a cohort of her followers to stage an uprising during the exhibition match held the other day at Void’s Garden… Her objective was to obtain the heart of the Ouroboros, a mythic-grade annihilation factor sealed in the basement of the Garden’s library, along with information on the facilities where the other pieces of the Ouroboros were kept. We are presently still attempting to locate her, but her current whereabouts remain unknown.” This explanation was given by a girl with dark hair and dark eyes, her gaze cool, and her expression betraying not a hint of emotion. The girl was Page 3 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
dressed from head to toe in the monotonous uniform of a personal attendant. Her name was Kuroe Karasuma—and she served the head of Void’s Garden. Right now, she stood ramrod straight behind Mushiki’s back, above the sideways-looming skyscraper. “I see…,” uttered the low voice of a man. The next moment, the world to Mushiki’s right pulsated slightly, spreading out and zooming in. Emerging in its place was a frightening scene bathed in red moonlight. A row of dead trees. Barren earth. A single Western-style building, with an endless bundle of spires, emanating a bewitching glow. And a tall man sitting back in a chair. Though appearance was no guarantee of a mage’s true age, he looked to be around forty years old. His eyes were shielded by rainbow-colored glasses, and he wore a long cloak. Despite the immense distance between them, Mushiki had no difficulty making out his voice and appearance. Eishuu Gurendoh—the headmaster of the mage-training institute Ember’s Peak. “The Ouroboros. To think that sealed Mythologia could have been resurrected—and fused with a human no less… Do you have a photograph of this Clara Tokishima?” “Yes,” Kuroe responded, moving the fingers of her right hand as though swiping on a giant tablet screen. Then, in the center of that huge space, an image filled the air. A young woman in a flashy outfit, with pink hair and multiple earrings and ear cuffs, posing and winking to the camera as if taking a selfie. Frankly speaking, that image was a far cry from the overall mood of this gathering. “…Couldn’t you have found a different picture?” Gurendoh grumbled. “There are others,” Kuroe said with a wave of her hand. The next moment, the huge image projected in the center of the world was replaced with another, then another. Clara in a peculiar outfit. Clara cosplaying as a maid. Clara’s clothes being melted by a slime, the image a stone’s throw away from having to be blurred out for decency’s sake. Page 4 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
“Enough!” Gurendoh growled in resignation. In the end, the first image had indeed been the most mature. “Anything else of note?” “Yes. Her Influenster ability converts fame and attention into magical energy. In other words, the more people who know about her and who are aware of her exploits, the greater her power increases.” “What a headache. So even if we exercise caution, that will only boost her powers?” “That’s right. However…” Kuroe paused for a moment, moving her hand once more and replacing the projected photograph with a short video clip. “Hiya there! And we’re back—it’s Clara Channel Time! Are you having a ca-razy day, my Claramates? Right then, so I’m thinking of running a little experiment today. Something called Are Immortals Really Incapable of Dying?!” The video continued, and the mage Clara Tokishima spoke to the audience amid the turmoil on display in a lighthearted manner, complete with exaggerated reactions and gestures. Watching her, Gurendoh raised a quizzical eyebrow. “…What’s this?” “A video, uploaded to the mage-exclusive video website MagiTube just a few hours ago,” Kuroe said, her eyes downcast. Right. Even with everything that had happened, despite her attack on the Garden and her true identity coming to light, Clara continued to post new videos. “Of course, we’ve asked the company responsible for managing the website to suspend her account, but it seems she keeps finding new ways to bypass our restrictions, either by creating new accounts or using those of her followers. It’s a game of cat and mouse, I’m afraid,” Kuroe explained. Gurendoh rested a hand on his forehead as though battling a migraine. “…You’re telling me that gamboling upstart prankster is a mythic-grade annihilation factor?” “How rude, judging others by their appearance,” sounded a flat electronic voice. The speaker’s identity was soon revealed. Just as it had when Gurendoh first spoke, the scenery warped, the space to Mushiki’s left pulsating and expanding. Page 5 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
Spreading out before him was a pixelated video game screen. In the center of that blinking, low-resolution landscape sat a man with somewhat gloomy eyes, hunched over on both knees. Baito Shikimori, headmaster of the mage-training institute Twilight City. Though he looked young, like Gurendoh, he was another powerful mage fully qualified to attend this conference. “That girl is fused with the Ouroboros and has turned more than a hundred mages into Immortals to attack the Garden. That’s all that matters. Unnecessary preconceptions can cloud one’s judgment.” “I don’t need you to tell me that. I’m not about to let my guard down, no matter the foe,” Gurendoh grumbled back in mild irritation. “If I was to judge you by your appearance, I’d say you’re a dubiouslooking middle-aged man.” “And you’re as garrulous as ever, I see.” “I don’t know what kind of look you’re going for, but round sunglasses are taking it a bit too far, if you ask me.” “Are you ever going to learn when to drop it?!” Gurendoh exclaimed in exasperation. On closer inspection, he seemed more than a little embarrassed, his cheeks having turned bright red. Then, perhaps in response to this exchange, the space to the far right of Mushiki’s vision stirred slightly. The scenery reminded him of the interior of a grand Japanese-style building. The sliding fusama doors, installed in several layers, opened quickly one after the other, revealing a bamboo blind at the very end of the building. Behind it, the silhouette of a figure leaning forward was faintly visible. “…Whatever the case…,” the woman’s voice began from behind the screen. She was Ao Fuyajoh, headmistress of the mage-training institute Hollow Arc. “First of all, we should clarify where the responsibility for this debacle lies… Isn’t that right, Rindoh?” “…” At this, the last person joining them flinched. In appearance, she looked to be around thirteen or fourteen years old, with a fearless countenance and her hair tied in a bun behind her head. Her eyebrows, clearly defined as though to emphasize her strong willpower, Page 6 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
were now twisted in a grim expression. Her presence, here in this space, was highly unusual. The reason for that was simple—she was the only figure here who was not the head of a mage-training institute. As if to hammer home that point, she was seated in what was possibly a plain conference room bathed exclusively in white. Only a single chair filled that wide expanse. The girl’s name was Rindoh Shionji, and she was a student at Shadow Tower. There were two main reasons why she, a student, had been invited to this meeting. The first was that she was the great-great-granddaughter and a direct descendent of the Tower’s former headmaster Gyousei Shionji. The second was that so many mages at the Tower had been turned into Immortals during the previous incident. “It’s true that Saika let Clara Tokishima slip away… But that was only because she was immortal, right? The Garden was attacked without warning by more than a hundred enemies, but Saika managed to fend them off. That feat should be worthy of praise, not denounced.” “So? What of the Tower?” Ao continued, moving as though she were peering at Rindoh’s face. “Are we to believe that no one noticed anything unusual ahead of time, not even with more than a hundred mages—the headmaster included—being turned into Immortals?” “W-well…,” Rindoh stammered at this pointed remark. Ao, however, looked to be in no mood to lower her weapons. “Tell me, Rindoh. When did your dear old grandfather stoop to becoming a filthy Immortal? Or do you mean to tell me you don’t even know that…? Tch. What a mess old Shionji has gotten himself caught up in. Incompetence is one thing, but getting turned into an annihilation factor’s pawn and threatening the whole human race? He would have been better off choosing death.” “…” Until now, Rindoh had been staring down at her feet in shame, when she suddenly looked up. “As the acting representative of Shadow Tower…I’m truly, very sorry. I’m terribly ashamed for what’s happened. I will accept any criticism, any condemnation… But please! I beg of you, take back that insult to my great-great-grandfather’s name…!” Her voice resonated with quiet anger. Her hands were trembling slightly, Page 7 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
and her face was dripping with cold sweat. It was little wonder. Of course she resented those remarks—but they had come from the head of another mage-training school. Ao was too powerful an opponent for her to dare express an opinion like this directly. It was only natural that she was tense and filled with fear. Yet Ao merely waved the fan clutched in her hand, chuckling in the face of Rindoh’s determination. A shadow flickered from behind the bamboo blind. “Insult?” she responded. “What a curious thing to say. Does the Tower consider it an insult to state the simple fact of the matter? Then what should I say? That Gyousei Shionji, your institute’s headmaster, was a fool for failing to notice a surprise attack coming from one of his own students? Or perhaps he had some ulterior motive involving Clara Tokishima? Either way, he ought to be dead by now—yet he’s still alive and well.” “…!” Rindoh, unable to stand this anymore, pushed her chair back and jumped quickly to her feet. Then she crouched low as two bright, gleaming patterns appeared over her hands and shoulders. Her world crest—a pattern that emerged whenever a modern-day mage used one of their substantiation techniques. “Second Substantiation: Meteoric Stria…!” As Rindoh said those words, a rugged long sword appeared by her waist. Her second substantiation—the second of her unique manifestation techniques—transformed mana into matter. Rindoh took a battle stance against Ao. “…Oh?” Ao’s tone underwent a dangerous transformation. “What is the meaning of this? Even here, it’s no joke to point a weapon at someone. Or have you, too, been taken in by the Ouroboros? I suppose it’s like they say, you can’t fight your own blood.” “…Don’t you dare say another word!” Rindoh cried in anger as she hit the ground running. She must have been using some kind of magic technique, as she sped toward Ao with the speed of a flying bullet. “Hmm…” Her target, however, wasn’t the slightest bit flustered. With a wave of her folding fan, a blue will-o’-the-wisp shaped like a giant bird appeared before the bamboo blind. Rindoh continued her approach, while Ao waited to intercept it. In just a Page 8 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
few brief moments, the two substantiations would collide. But— “Lady Saika,” Kuroe urged. “…Hmm.” The next moment, Mushiki waved his hand, sending a skyscraper falling from the sky to separate the two. “Eeep…?!” “Oh?” The gigantic structure all but grazed against Rindoh’s nose as it pierced the ground, shattering the boundaries of the world before eventually melting away into the air. “Calm down, both of you,” Mushiki said in an effort to placate them— the voice emanating from his throat clearly not that of a man. But that was also as it should be. Because right now, Mushiki wasn’t himself. Long, shimmering hair covered his head and shoulders. His facial features were neat and orderly, perfectly arranged according to the golden ratio. And enshrined in the middle of it were a pair of astonishing-colored eyes. Yes. He wasn’t the male high school student Mushiki Kuga, but rather Saika Kuozaki, headmistress of the mage-training institute Void’s Garden. “…Rindoh,” Mushiki called out. “Y-yes…?” she replied in a weak voice. “I understand how you feel, but Ao isn’t your enemy. I ask you, please don’t bare your weapon here.” “Ah… S-sorry…!” Rindoh, who had seemed possessed earlier, bowed obediently, and deactivated her world crest and sword. Next, Mushiki looked at Ao. “You too. You always go too far. Apologize to Rindoh,” he instructed. “Yes, I said too much. I’m sorry.” Ao nodded indifferently. “…Not at all,” Rindoh replied with a bitter expression. She still looked a little agitated, but she seemed to understand at least that her behavior had posed a serious problem. It was perhaps going too far to say that the matter was settled, but both Rindoh and Ao seemed to have calmed down for the time being. “Seriously, cut it out. Fellow mages quarreling now? What’s to become of us?” Gurendoh interjected. Page 9 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
“Oh, it’s fine, isn’t it? So long as they only go at it here. I’m kinda interested. I mean, a young mage challenging Ao Fuyajoh? Are you kidding?” Shikimori countered. “Why you…” If left unchecked, these two would no doubt start another argument, so Mushiki let out an audible cough to catch everyone’s attention. “In that case, let’s discuss concrete countermeasures… The Ouroborus– Clara Tokishima hybrid must be defeated. I’ll need you all to lend me your strength.” Close to sixty minutes later, the meeting came to an end. To be honest, there was a lot that Mushiki couldn’t fully grasp, but he did his best to maintain a composed expression at all times. As they had both agreed earlier, whenever he had trouble answering a given question, he would give an exaggerated nod and turn the discussion over to Kuroe. He had been at the Garden for only a short period of time, so he couldn’t be expected to respond perfectly to every question. His principal responsibility here was to appeal to the heads of the other schools and convince them that Saika was alive and well. “…That’s about everything. Thank you all again, everyone,” Mushiki said at last, looking at the others now that the discussions were concluded. That was a de facto declaration of adjournment, and the heads of the other schools responded in tacit understanding. “Ah. I’ll be off, then… Hopefully next time it will be about a more peaceful matter,” Gurendoh said with a snap of his fingers—and with that, both he and the red space that he was inhabiting disappeared like a rising mist, leaving only a view of a simple conference room. “Me too. Send me the details later, m’kay?” Next was Shikimori, his electronic voice blending into static that soon consumed his image. “…O-oh…” Rindoh watched in awe before noticing Mushiki’s gaze and jumping back in fright. “Um, I’ll excuse myself, too.” “Thank you for taking the time to join us.” “Not at all… I’m sorry for causing such a scene,” Rindoh said with an apologetic look. Then, glancing back and forth at the spaces that Gurendoh and Shikimori had been occupying until just a moment earlier, she asked, “…U-um, sorry. Is it okay if I leave normally?” “Of course.” Mushiki nodded in response to this awkward question. Page 10 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
Perhaps she thought she had to make some dramatic exit, too? Her consternation was cute to watch, and Mushiki could feel his face relaxing into a smile—but he fought to hold it back. If he laughed here, no doubt he would leave her feeling even more self-conscious. “Good-bye then…,” Rindoh said with a humble bow before awkwardly turning to leave. But then, as if suddenly struck by a question, she stopped, glancing back at him. “Is my grandfather—Gyousei Shionji, I mean… Is he still alive?” “Yes. In his current state, he won’t die even if you kill him.” It was Kuroe who answered. The remark could have been taken as a joke or sarcasm, but there was no hint of levity in her voice. It was, ultimately, just a simple statement of fact. At this, Rindoh gave an uneasy frown. “I know this is a lot to ask, but might I be permitted to see—” “If you just want to see him, I wouldn’t recommend it. Especially if you want to maintain your respect for the man he once was.” “…” Rindoh clenched her teeth and turned to face Mushiki. “…I’ll do my best, for what little it’s worth. I’ll stop the Ouroboros— I’ll stop Clara Tokishima,” she said as if to affirm her resolve. Then, with one last glare at Ao, she offered Mushiki a deep bow and made her exit, disappearing into thin air. And so there was only one figure left—Ao Fuyajoh, who was watching from behind her bamboo blind. “Ah, youth,” she said with a wave of her fan. “Vivacious anger when faced with the absurdities of the world—now that’s a feeling I haven’t felt in a long time. No… Maybe I should say I’ve grown accustomed to them. I envy her a little.” “Envy? You don’t sound jealous,” Mushiki admonished her with a dour look. Ao shrugged. “I have no ill feelings toward her.” “Is that so?” Mushiki asked, her eyes narrowed. It was a special talent, in a sense, being able to say all that to someone to whom you held no ill will toward. “Yes, of course,” Ao answered with a quick nod. “It’s just…old Shionji is another matter entirely. For him, I’ve nothing but contempt and disgust. For someone responsible for one of our academies to throw himself on the mercy of an annihilation factor and attack humans… Death would be too Page 11 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
good for him. But there’s the problem—we can’t even kill him.” “…Don’t hold it against him too much. Mythologia aren’t like regular annihilation factors. They exist in a realm that transcends common sense. You know that firsthand, yes?” “…” Ao pursed her lips at Mushiki’s last remark. He was referring to something that Kuroe had briefed him on prior to the meeting. As a mage, Ao had once been involved in the subjugation of another mythic-grade annihilation factor alongside Saika, the Leviathan. “…That’s precisely why I feel the way I do. We must never lose to those annihilation factors. No matter what they do. No matter what it takes… There’s no meaning in a fight well fought, no value in praise. No medal for us mages, either. What we need to do is achieve concrete results… Isn’t that right, Saika?” “Ao…?” Sensing a deep undercurrent of hatred in her voice, Mushiki arched an eyebrow. “…?” In the next moment, as though sensing something was off, Ao tilted her head. “…You are Saika, aren’t you?” “…?!” Mushiki’s heart skipped a beat. …She couldn’t possibly have seen through to his true identity, could she? With an astonishing degree of concentration and his paranoid powers of observation, Mushiki had been doing his utmost to reproduce Saika’s mannerisms and voice. That said, there was no such thing as perfection in this world (except for Saika’s good looks, that is). Perhaps he had slipped up without even realizing it. Obscured behind her bamboo blind, Ao’s face was unreadable. Mushiki glanced at Kuroe, imploring her to help. “…” Kuroe, however, said nothing, and merely watched their exchange without betraying a single thought of her own. For a moment, he thought she had given up—but no. She was simply demonstrating with her body how the attendant Kuroe Karasuma would respond in this situation. And so Mushiki pursed his lips. “…It seems that I’ve lost my sense of Page 12 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
humor since we last saw each other. Or have I become so beautiful that you hardly recognize me?” “…” After a long moment, Ao let out a small sigh. “Apologies. I said something strange.” “No, don’t let it worry you.” Mushiki spoke measuredly, doing his best not to betray the turmoil in his chest. “I’m glad we had a chance to talk again,” Ao continued as she tried to collect herself. “If not for this meeting, I would have given you a better welcome.” “Ah…yes. How about I invite you to tea next time? The best tea available, with cupcakes.” “Oh-ho, I look forward to it. Let’s make it a celebration after defeating the Ouroboros.” Then, changing the topic, Ao asked, “Is Ruri well? That girl hardly ever writes to me.” Mushiki felt his eyebrows almost twitch at the sound of that name. That was only natural. Ruri Fuyajoh, the student in question, was his younger sister. Then again, it was perfectly natural that she would come up in any conversation with Ao. After all, they both shared the same surname. Much to Mushiki’s surprise, the Fuyajohs, his own maternal relatives, seemed to be a well-regarded and prestigious family in the magic world. In other words, Ao was a blood relative of both Ruri and himself, though he wasn’t sure of the precise nature of their relationship. “Oh, don’t worry. She seems to be enjoying herself with every passing day… Her abilities are amazing, too. She’s already an S-ranked mage. And I enjoy having her around.” “Hmm… I see,” Ao mumbled meaningfully. “Then it’s fine. Seeing how she half forced herself into the Garden, it wouldn’t do if she didn’t achieve results,” she said, her face filled with deep emotion as she looked up at Mushiki. “Yes, I truly am glad you made it in time.” “Hmm?” “It’s nothing.” Ao hid her face behind her fan as though to brush aside Mushiki’s remark. Then again, that was hardly necessary as her face was already hidden behind a bamboo blind. “Well then, it’s time I go, too.” Page 13 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
“Ah… See you again soon.” “Yes… We can’t allow a mythic-grade annihilation factor to roam the streets. We’ll bring it down… I’ll do everything in my power.” With those final words, the space around Ao disappeared, as though consumed by blue flames. …Finally, only Mushiki and Kuroe remained. “…Phew.” A few seconds after realizing they were now alone, Mushiki let out a tired sigh, the tension built up inside him unraveling. At the same time, the horizontal skyscraper on which he was sitting vanished, the space around him returning to its original form. The two were in a bleak conference room—awfully empty in appearance, no doubt on account of the sparse furniture and decoration. “Well done,” Kuroe said appreciatively from behind him. Mushiki turned around and gave a forced smile. “…I hope it went all right. She seemed a little suspicious there at the end.” “Headmistress Fuyajoh is always like that. Even while Lady Saika was still in her prime, she would often say suggestive insinuations and throw barbs for no apparent reason.” “…I see.” Once more, Mushiki let out an awkward sigh. “But still—that’s really bad for the heart.” As he spoke, he recalled the scene that until a moment ago had stretched out before him, and he glanced down to scrutinize his right hand. A space divided into five colors. The dispute between Rindoh and Ao. And Saika’s towering skyscraper that had brought an end to it. From Mushiki’s standpoint, that scene of carnage could very well have ended with someone dying. Even now, his heart was still racing. Kuroe, however, was calm. “Don’t worry. As I explained earlier, no one was actually there. We asked them to stop because, yes, those two fighting would have certainly caused a problem, but even if it had come to bloodshed, they wouldn’t have died.” Right. Everything that Mushiki had just seen had been simply a projection wrought by magic. In other words, it was a magic-based remote conference. The rooms seemed to be designed through the application of a technique that changed the surrounding scenery in accordance with the individual accessing it. “But part of our consciousness is still connected, right? Is that what you Page 14 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
mean? Strong stimuli that would end up having a physical response?” “It wouldn’t kill them,” Kuroe answered flatly. “…Right,” Mushiki responded, still uneasy. Then again, this probably wasn’t a big deal as far as she was concerned. “Now then,” she continued, changing the subject. “While our options are limited, our plan of action has been decided. For now, we must all do what we can.” “What we can…?” “Yes. That means magic training in the meantime… For you to master Lady Saika’s techniques, and to also handle your own techniques, it is imperative that you increase your magic level. Even if Clara Tokishima is found, that knowledge won’t do us much good if you cannot fight her properly.” Kuroe paused for a moment, glancing at her watch. “Fortunately, the meeting ended ahead of schedule, so we have time to spare. If we leave now, we may be able to make it to your first class. Let’s hurry along and get ready.” “Get ready?” “Don’t play dumb. We’ve done this countless time before.” Then, watching him through narrowed eyes, Kuroe wrapped her arms around Mushiki’s neck and positioned her lips close to his ear. “…Or would you rather I take the lead?” she whispered, her bewitching voice tickling his ear. “…!” Mushiki’s breath caught in his throat. She looked so different from her usual appearance as an attendant, her teasing tone calling to mind Saika’s sensuality. But that, too, wasn’t at all surprising. After all, Kuroe was, in fact, the real Saika Kuozaki herself. Yes. There had never been a real Kuroe Karasuma anywhere in this world. She was a homunculus, an artificial body created to house Saika’s soul. About a month ago, the real Saika had been mortally wounded, and before slipping away for good, she had transferred her soul to this artificial body that went by the name Kuroe. Simply put, two beings now existed side by side—Saika’s body as merged with Mushiki, and Saika’s soul dwelling within Kuroe’s body. When Kuroe had talked about getting ready, she meant for Mushiki to return to his original state. Page 15 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
In his current form, Mushiki was constantly radiating magical energy. When that amount underwent a rapid increase, his body would attempt to suppress the loss by entering a safe mode that consumed less energy—in other word’s, Mushiki’s original body. And this was how to instigate it. After all, magic was closely linked to the mind. Essentially, when he entered a state of extreme arousal, the amount of magical energy being released would spike. Page 16 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
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“Heh-heh, you’re a naughty boy. Perhaps you’re in need of a little disciplining?” “A-ah… Ugh…” So went Mushiki and Kuroe’s exchange, both of them blushing as they talked. “…Um, sorry. I forgot to ask you something. It’s about the student Mushiki Kuga mentioned in the report…” Suddenly, there was a rumbling at the end of the room, and the representative from the Tower, Rindoh Shionji, timidly reappeared. “Ah.” “Er.” “…Huh?!” As she took in the sight of Mushiki and Kuroe, her face instantly turned scarlet. “Eeep! U-um, s-sorry! S-sorry for disturbing yoouuu!” Rindoh cried out, covering her mouth with her hands and disappearing again without a trace. “…” “…” The two of them were left in stunned silence for a few moments, when — “Ah…” Mushiki’s body faintly glowed, his appearance changing into that of an androgynous male high school student. He was back in his original form. She had left just in the nick of time. If the transformation had taken place a few seconds earlier, Rindoh might have seen everything. “…Do you perhaps like it when someone’s watching?” Kuroe asked, squinting at him. “You’ve got the wrong idea!” he couldn’t help crying out. Void’s Garden, the mage-training institute located in Ohjoh City in Tokyo, was divided into five major areas. The eastern precinct, where many of the research buildings were located. The western precinct, where there was a high concentration of training facilities. The southern precinct, full of dormitories and commercial facilities. The northern precinct, occupied by Saika’s mansion and other private amenities. Page 18 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
And the central precinct, where most of the school buildings were situated. After leaving the special conference building located in the northern precinct, Mushiki and Kuroe made their way along the paved path down to the campus’s central area. As they approached, the road gradually grew in width, various buildings peeking out from behind the dense trees. Since they usually made their way to school from their dormitory in the southern precinct, it provided a refreshing change of scenery. That, however, wasn’t the only reason for the unfamiliar sights. “…Right, the repairs aren’t done yet, huh?” Mushiki, back in his original body, murmured as he walked along the pavement. Several of the roads and buildings had collapsed, with work crews busy restoring them. All probably lingering effects from the previous incident. “It looks like it,” Kuroe responded from next to him. In tone and atmosphere, she had reverted to the perfect coolheaded attendant. Mushiki would have liked it if she spoke more casually with him, but they couldn’t afford to let anyone learn her true identity, so she typically played the role of Kuroe Karasuma with great aplomb. “It’s fairly common for the facilities to sustain some degree of damage during exhibition matches, but the scale was so large that it will take some time to repair. Though if we still had Silvelle, the work might proceed a little more efficiently.” “Ah…” Mushiki sighed at the sound of that name. Silvelle—the artificial intelligence in charge of security and management at the Garden. Just like the students of the Tower, she had fallen into Clara’s hands. In short, she had been turned against them, and so the Garden could be said to have bared its fangs on its own staff and students. Mushiki felt a chill run down his spine when he stopped to wonder how he had managed to survive it all. It ought to be possible to restore Silvelle as she was an AI…but even now, several days after the incident, there had been no indication that anyone planned to. “Silvelle hasn’t been fixed up yet, huh? It feels a little lonely without her.” Page 19 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
At that moment, Mushiki’s eyes widened in surprise. A familiar figure was walking down the path, straight for them. “…? What is it, Mushiki?” “Er, is that…?” He pointed ahead with a blank stare. She was a beautiful young woman, perhaps around eighteen years old. She walked slowly, her long silver hair almost touching the ground and her ample breasts on the verge of bursting out from her clothing as they swayed with each step. There could be no doubt about it. It was a three-dimensional projection of the Garden’s management AI Silvelle, the kind she used when communicating with people. “…” She pushed on ahead, oblivious to Mushiki and Kuroe, seemingly muttering something under her breath. Well, Mushiki reasoned, she was only a projection, so there was little chance of their colliding. Yet— “Huh?” The next moment, Mushiki gasped. The reason was simple. His fingers, stretched out in front of him, had pressed up against Silvelle’s chest. “…?!” A second later, Silvelle jerked back. A faint tremor passed through her, from her chest all the way to Mushiki’s fingers. “…Wh-wh-wh-wh-wh-what…?” A faint voice like the buzz of a mosquito emanated from her throat. Mushiki furrowed his brow in confusion. “She’s got a physical form…? Hold on. What’s going on—” “Mushiki. Please lower your hand.” “Ah.” Only after Kuroe had spoken did he realize what he was still doing. Flustered, he hurried to put his hand away. “S-sorry,” he stammered. “…N-no… It’s okay… Eeep…,” Silvelle responded in a voice so small that he might not have heard it if he hadn’t been paying attention. “I—I was just startled, that’s all… I’m sorry you had to touch something so plain… I was lost in thought…,” she said in a strained, anxiety-ridden Page 20 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
voice. For a moment, Mushiki thought she was angry at him for his disrespectful behavior…but apparently not. Rather, she seemed quite unaccustomed to brushing things off with a casual laugh. Watching her, Mushiki finally realized this woman wasn’t the Silvelle he knew. Her features and stature were exactly like the AI, but her clothes, facial expressions, and overall atmosphere were simply too different. Silvelle had worn a white robe and always had a gracious, saintly smile —perfectly befitting the self-proclaimed big sister figure she endeavored to be. The girl in front of him now, however, was dressed in a frilly gothic Lolita-style dress that covered her body almost completely. She had a severe stoop, and her long bangs partly obscured her face. Her eyesight didn’t seem particularly great, either, as she was wearing a pair of narrow framed glasses. In one hand, she grasped a parasol, her shoulders slumped forward as though to keep them from being exposed to the sun. If Silvelle was yang, this woman was yin—her aura was practically the polar opposite of the AI’s. Kuroe spoke up to address his confusion: “Mushiki. While they may look very similar, this is not the administrative AI Silvelle.” “Ah…right. I guessed as much,” Mushiki said, still staring at the woman. “But in that case—” Page 21 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
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“This is Hildegarde Silvelle,” Kuroe continued, anticipating his next question. “She is the head of the Garden’s technical department and the creator of the AI Silvelle. She is also one of our knights.” “…! Silvelle’s…creator…?! And a knight?!” Mushiki exclaimed, his eyes opening wide in shock. Hildegarde’s shoulders trembled slightly. The next moment— “Uh, hee-hee…” She let out an awkward, evasive chuckle. Yep, Mushiki had a feeling that she wasn’t used to laughing in front of others. “…Um, Kuroe? Is she really a knight?” Mushiki whispered so that Hildegarde wouldn’t overhear. The knights of Void’s Garden were the school’s strongest mages and a special task force under Saika’s direct control. It probably wasn’t a polite thing to say out loud, but Hildegarde seemed like a far cry from the other knights he knew. Kuroe seemed to sense his misgivings. “To be appointed as a knight, a high level of proficiency as a mage, a proven track record, and Lady Saika’s endorsement are required. That is not necessarily determined solely by combat ability… In one sense, being the creator of an AI responsible for the Garden’s security, you can say that she defends our students from more harm than anyone else.” “I see…” Mushiki felt ashamed for being shallow-minded and simultaneously was reminded of Saika’s depth of knowledge. He lowered his gaze, doing his best to keep tears from welling up in his eyes. “E-eh…? What’s wrong…?” Hildegarde asked, her head tilted in confusion. “I-it’s nothing…” There was no way he could tell her the truth. Hoping to distract her, he asked her something that had been bothering him for a while: “Um, right. Why does Silvelle want everyone to call her Sis?” It was a question that he had already received an answer to, but ultimately, he was merely hoping to change the subject. AI Silvelle had a strong desire to be treated as an older sister. Not only the students but the teaching staff as well addressed her as Sis. In fact, she wouldn’t even respond to questions if you called her by any other name, Page 23 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
and she tended to get sulky to boot. As an administrative AI, her attitude could often be a bit of a problem. “…!” Hildegarde trembled uneasily. “I—I don’t know…” “Huh? But you made her, right…? And she looks just like you…” “Ugh…” Hildegarde’s face warped in alarm. “I don’t know… I added a self-learning runtime, and before I knew it…she became the big sister of all humankind? I don’t get it, not one bit… Besides… Having a visual projection while communicating is all well and good, but why did she model herself after me…? It’s so embarrassing… I wish she wouldn’t…” She fell silent and was on the verge of bawling her eyes out. “Mushiki.” Kuroe spoke up. “Don’t bother her so much. Knight Hildegarde is extremely talented, but she’s also extremely sensitive.” “Ah… S-sorry…,” Mushiki apologized. “I-it’s okay…,” Hildegarde said, though she seemed far from it. Kuroe cleared her throat. “But this is unusual,” she began, changing the topic. “It’s rare to see you out and about so early in the morning, Knight Hildegarde.” “…Ah, well, er, it’s about Silvelle’s…recovery…” Mushiki couldn’t quite make out the second half of her halting response, but he understood enough to know that she was on her way somewhere to help reactivate the administrative AI. “So it’ll still take some more time?” Kuroe asked. “Ah…y-yes…,” Hildegarde answered with a weak nod. “…The Ouroboros…right…? It’s a mythic-class annihilation factor… Well, Silvelle’s core makes use of several living parts…and they’ve been rendered immortal from the Ouroboros’s ability. It will be…practically impossible to restore her to the way she was before… All we can do is rebuild her based on an external backup… In the meantime, campus security is in the hands of conventional AIs and humans…,” she explained in a roundabout manner. Her voice was so quiet, and she spoke so fast, that Mushiki couldn’t fully catch the gist of her explanation, but in any event, it was clear it would take some time to fully restore the AI. “…Right…” He nodded; his voice subdued. “Wh-what…?” Hildegarde asked fearfully. “No…I just thought it would be lonely, not being able to talk to the old Silvelle anymore. I didn’t know her for that long, but she was a huge help…” Page 24 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
“…” Hildegarde’s eyes widened in surprise at his remark. That moment, the bell sounded from the central school building. It looked like they had spent more time talking than Mushiki had expected. “Oh, it’s time. We have class, Knight Hildegarde. Please excuse us. Let’s hurry along, Mushiki.” “Ah, right. Excuse me. Sorry again for bumping into you.” “Eh…ah…um…w-wait, please.” Just as Mushiki and Kuroe were about to leave, Hildegarde called out to them. Mushiki stopped. “…? Yes? What is it?” “Um…I know I said there are some biological parts…but that doesn’t change the fact that Silvelle is an AI… Her structure is fundamentally different from that of a human being… And with the external backups, well, there are multiple memory units…” “Huh?” Mushiki tilted his head, unsure what she was getting at. “U-uh…,” she stammered, falling silent. Instead, it was Kuroe who offered a supplementary explanation: “In short, though it will indeed be difficult to restore the AI Silvelle completely, rest assured that she won’t be an entirely different person.” “…Y-yes.” Hildegarde nodded. “Sh-she’s a little strange, that AI…but she’s my little girl… Thank you for looking out for her…” “Not at all. Thank you for making her.” “Ah…um… Tee-hee-hee…” In response to Mushiki’s show of thanks, Hildegarde gave an awkward smile, but she did seem happy to hear them. Void’s Garden may have been a mage-training institute, but as a place with teachers and students where knowledge was taught, it wasn’t all that much different from schools on the outside. In that regard, the schedule was no exception. The day began with homeroom, followed by periods 1 through 4 in the morning, a break for lunch, then periods 5 and 6 in the afternoon. All of this was to say…the fact that Mushiki and Kuroe could hear the bell from outside the school building meant that they were very, very late. “Ah, Kuga, Karasuma. Good morning.” No sooner had the two of them entered the classroom than a female Page 25 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
student with soft facial features and her pretty hair tied back neatly in a bun called out to them—their classmate Hizumi Nagekawa. “Morning, Nagekawa,” Mushiki responded with a wave. “Good morning,” Kuroe said. As far as he could see, there were only students present in the classroom. Everyone was either busy talking with friends or preparing for the day’s classes. It seemed that they’d slipped in between homeroom and first period. It was a shame that they hadn’t arrived in time to have their attendance recorded, but it was probably for the best that they hadn’t barged into the room in the middle of class. “You’re late, you two,” came a sharp voice. In contrast to Hizumi, the individual who spoke this time was a young woman with a determined look to her face, and her long hair tied up in twin ponytails. Ruri Fuyajoh—Mushiki’s younger sister, the one whose name had come up in the conversation with Ao. “You’re a mess. Don’t you have any idea what it means to be a mage…? Not that I’m acknowledging you as one or anything, you hear me?!” she said, adding the second part in a panic. More than a month had passed since Mushiki had enrolled at the Garden, but Ruri was still intent on getting him to give up on becoming a mage. Whenever the matter came up between them, the conversation would always turn sour. Mushiki gave her a wry smile, deliberately avoiding the topic as he took his seat. “Ah, sorry, Ruri,” he said. “Something important came up.” “Something important? And what exactly was it?” “Um…well, you know.” He could hardly tell her that he had been attending a conference for principals of mage-training institutes in Saika’s place. He glanced over at Kuroe, looking for help. At that, Ruri gave a puzzled look—then, as though in sudden realization, she jumped back. “C-come to think of it, you came to school with Kuroe, didn’t you?! What were you two even doing?!” she demanded, her cheeks turning crimson as she pointed back and forth between the two of them. Mushiki’s eyes widened in alarm at this misunderstanding. “N-n-no, we didn’t do anything!” Page 26 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
“…Really?” “Really!” “…She didn’t hug you from behind and whisper seductively into your ear?” “…No.” Mushiki averted his gaze at that pointed accusation, spoken as though she had literally witnessed just that. Judging from her behavior, it was probably just a coincidence that her remarks were so close to the truth… Her intuition, however, could be frighteningly astute. “Why are you talking like that?! Hey! Look at me!” Ruri demanded, grabbing him by the shoulders and shaking him back and forth. “N-no…it really isn’t like that! Right, Kuroe?!” he cried, beseeching her to back him up. Then, with a cute expression, the kind that would normally never cross her features, she shyly lowered her gaze. “But it is… It’s fine to admit it, Mushiki.” “Muuushiiikiii?!” “W…what?!” Ruri’s eyes were on fire at Kuroe’s response. Right. Saika usually played the part of a cool and collected maid, but she had a bit of a mischievous side, too. It really was adorable. However, given the current situation, he had no time to appreciate her playfulness. Ruri was becoming increasingly incensed. “What’s the meaning of this, Mushiki?! What have you been doing all morning…?! Huh?! No, don’t tell me…from last night?! You mean you were both late because you didn’t get enough sleep?! Arrrggghhh! You idiot! Idiiiooot! You said you’d marry me when we grew up!” “C-calm down, Ruri…!” Hizumi intervened. “Hold on, what did you just say?!” “…Huh?” Ruri suddenly stopped moving. Her eyes were spinning as she ruminated over her last sentence—and she turned instantly scarlet. “…Mushiki, did you hear that just now?” “Huh? About marriage? I mean, kids make silly promises all the time, it —” “Ugh! Nggghhh!” He realized that he should have just played dumb, but the question had Page 27 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
come so suddenly that he had ended up answering her honestly. Ruri’s face continued to turn an even deeper shade of red when she grabbed his arm, braced her legs, and put him in a joint lock. “…?! …?!” Mushiki’s limbs tightened up, leaving him unable to control his own body. He could hear a faint scream echoing from his throat semiconsciously. “That won’t do, Knight Fuyajoh. Please calm down.” “Th-that’s right. You should let Kuga—” “If you want to incapacitate him, you have to wrap your arm properly around his neck.” “Karasuma?!” Hizumi cried back. Evidently, that hadn’t been what she had meant. But perhaps realizing that she had gone too far, or perhaps satisfied with Ruri’s reaction, Kuroe sighed softly, then moved to tap Ruri on the shoulder. “I was just kidding. I happened to bump into Mushiki on my way to class.” “…R-really…?” While it may have been Ruri’s own comment about marriage that was the direct cause behind her attempt to throttle him, Kuroe’s concession had seemed to be enough to calm her down. At last, the strength ebbed from her arms, and Mushiki fell helplessly to the floor, staggering back to his feet after a few seconds. “A-are you all right? Mushiki…?” Hizumi asked. “I-I’m fine…” Having finally regained her composure, Ruri reached out to him awkwardly. “…Sorry about that. I got a bit carried away.” “A bit…?” Mushiki echoed with a forced smile, but nonetheless, he took her hand and got back on his feet. Those hands, which she used in battle daily in her role as a mage of the Garden, possessed both the delicateness of a young woman and the hardiness of a fierce warrior. The next moment— “…Hmm?” Mushiki’s eyes widened in shock. An unfamiliar thing had just flown in through a gap in the classroom windows. Page 28 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
It was a small bird, its feathers flickering like flames—or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that it was a flame in the shape of a bird? It fluttered through the air, holding what looked like a tiny letter in its beak. “What’s that…?” Drawn by Mushiki’s gaze and voice, the others quickly noticed the small visitor, too, each looking in its direction and exclaiming in their own distinctive way. “…A familiar? That’s a rare sight…,” Ruri said with a frown when the bird dropped its letter into the palm of her hand. With that, the creature melted away into the air, having fulfilled its role. “…It’s for me?” Curious, she scrutinized it. Written on the front in neat letters was Ms. Ruri Fuyajoh. Seeing all this for the first time, Mushiki was beyond impressed. “Wow. So this is how mages exchange letters, huh?” “No it isn’t,” Ruri snapped back. “Huh?” he gawked in response. “A long time ago, maybe, but these days, the normal thing to do is to use email or a mage-exclusive messaging app. It’s faster, easier, and more reliable, right? And there’s no need to waste magic to actually send anything.” “Ah…that makes sense.” Come to think of it, Saika had said something along those lines before— that among traditional mages, there were those who still liked to do things the old-fashioned way. “Well, I’m not saying there aren’t any advantages whatsoever. If it’s just a small charm, you can deliver the actual item, and of course, you don’t leave any record of your exchanges on some server. And…well, sometimes people have reactions like you did just now, too…” “My reaction?” “When you saw the familiar bring the letter, you thought to yourself: Wow! Right? Basically, it looks cool.” “Because it looks cool… That’s it?” “It’s really important to look cool while using magic. I mean, magic and the spirit are closely intertwined. Even you think fancy-looking techniques are better than weird ones, right? And that kind of feeling can greatly affect a spell’s output. Your self-awareness, your self-confidence—they can help you use amazing techniques… So that’s why familiars are still Page 29 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
used for important messages, or for notifying people of formal events.” “I see…” Mushiki nodded in understanding. “Thank you, Ruri. That was very enlightening.” “Heh-heh. Don’t mention it… What?” At that moment, she jolted back in alarm as though suddenly realizing something. “What do you think you’re doing, learning all this?! I’m not here to teach you!” “You’re all over the place, Ruri…,” Hizumi said with a nervous smile, her gaze shifting to the letter still in her friend’s hand. “But more importantly, what does the letter say?” “Hmm…? Ah, right. I think it’s from the family head…” She opened the seal, pulling out a sheet of writing paper. As she began to read the letter— “Wh-wh-what…?!” Her hands began to tremble, and she let out a curdling scream: “Nggghhh?! Whaaaaaat?! Arrrggghhh!” “R-Ruri…?!” “What happened…?!” Mushiki and the others were taken aback by her sudden change of emotion. The next moment, Ruri slammed the letter down on the desk in front of her, not understanding what was going on. “I don’t… I don’t get it! Why?! And out of nowhere…?!” she exclaimed, pointing at the letter for the others to see. Mushiki looked down and read the message. “I-is that…?!” “H-huh…?!” “…Hmm.” And like Ruri, they frowned in alarm and dismay. But those weren’t unreasonable responses. No doubt anyone would be flustered if they had received the same kind of letter. On the paper, in neat and tidy handwriting, was the following: Dear Ruri Fuyajoh, Your forthcoming marriage has been finalized. I offer you my warmest congratulations. Please quickly return to the main house to hold the ceremony. Ao Fuyajoh Page 30 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
Chapter 2 The Witch Conquers Neptune’s Fortress, Deep in the Sea “Mushiki.” “…” “Mushiki.” “…” “Ah, how unexpected. Lady Saika is wearing a kimono of all things.” “Huh? Wh-where?!” Mushiki snapped awake at these words, still reverberating in his eardrums. Yet it wasn’t Saika in a kimono who greeted him, but rather Kuroe with an unamused expression. Well, that was only natural. Saika’s body was fused with his own. So as long as he was here, there was no way that she could be present. “So you can hear me. I’ve been calling out to you again and again,” Kuroe said with a slight pout. Mushiki lowered his head in apology. “…Sorry. I guess I kind of blanked out.” “Yet you still responded to Lady Saika’s name.” “You can still notice a huge explosion nearby even when you’re in a daze, right?” “We’re handling explosives?” Kuroe sighed deeply. But that turn of phrase wasn’t entirely wrong. Saika Kuozaki in a kimono…would probably have the destructive power of around two and half kilotons of TNT. That sight would be so dangerous, in fact, that its use would likely be restricted by international treaties. “You’re thinking of something stupid again, aren’t you?” “What? No way.” Page 31 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
Mushiki shook his head without a moment’s hesitation. Sure, he had been mulling over how Saika would look in a kimono, but those were far from stupid thoughts. Both he and Kuroe were in their usual classroom—Room 2-A. It was currently lunchbreak, and most of their fellow students had gone outside. “…So what were you thinking about?” “That it might be necessary to institute a treaty to regulate the use of Saika in a kimono—” “Not that,” Kuroe interrupted him. “Before that.” “Ah…” Mushiki let out a melancholy sigh while glancing at a nearby seat that had been left empty for the past few days without its usual occupant. “Well…Ruri, I guess.” “I thought so.” Kuroe nodded in understanding. …Did she feel a sense of relief hearing his response just now? Thank goodness that pathetic monster still has a heart…? But maybe he was just imagining things. “It’s already been five days since she got that letter… So what’s going on?” he said with a worried frown. For Mushiki, the goings-on of this classroom had become part of his everyday routine. But one thing was different to usual—Ruri was absent. Of course, it wasn’t like she had gone to the main Fuyajoh residence to obediently accept the marriage, but still… Mushiki vaguely recalled their exchange five days earlier… “You’ve gotta be kidding me!” Ruri cried out, slamming her fists down on the desk. The bench top creaked from the force of the shock. “What’s this about marriage?! They send an old-fashioned letter out of the blue and decide this all by themselves…?! Old families are always like this!” She let out an indignant sigh, her whole body shaking. Hizumi raised an eyebrow. “So…you’re saying you didn’t know anything about this, Ruri?” “Of course not! I mean, I’m only sixteen!” “Ah,” Mushiki mouthed. Right. Under the current laws, she hadn’t even reached marriageable age. “Um…so what are you going to do?” Hizumi asked. “Ignore it! Ignore it! I don’t care what the main family says! No one has any right to decide this for me! Besides, I’ve already made up my mind Page 32 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
about who I want to—” She stopped herself there. “Huh?” “…N-nothing!” she shouted, crumbling the letter into a ball and throwing it into the trash can at the front of the classroom. She must have put too much strength into the throw, as the paper ball bounced right back out. Veins throbbing on her forehead, she moved to pick it up and dropped it back in the trash can. Even at a time like this, she managed to maintain her self-discipline. “…But will that really work?” Kuroe asked with a hand on her chin. “Will what work?” “It’s normally quite impossible to enter a marriage against one’s will. And you’re right, you’re not old enough to marry in the first place… But this is Ao Fuyajoh we’re talking about here, the head of the prestigious Fuyajoh family of mages. She may try to push through regardless. Is it something we should leave alone?” “Ugh…” Ruri must have realized the truth to Kuroe’s comment, as she had broken out into a cold sweat. “R-right… I don’t know what they’re playing at, but maybe I should confront them about it…? I mean, it’s crazy, being told you’re getting married when you don’t even know what’s going on. I can’t rule out the possibility of a stranger coming here claiming to actually be my husband…” “Th-that’s terrifying…,” Hizumi said with an awkward smile. It went beyond terrifying; that was for sure. “But what exactly are you going to do about it?” Mushiki asked. Ruri thought for a few moments before answering. “Well…I’ll have to go and tell them what’s what, in person. Nothing will change if I just write back and say no. Going there and making a scene will get my message across that much more clearly, right?” she said, waving her arm as though swinging a long sword. Mushiki’s mouth twitched. She was always quick to resort to violence. “But does that mean you’re actually going to go see them?” he asked. “Well…the main house is where the family head is, so yeah.” “But maybe it’s better not to go alone… Maybe I could—” “No,” she interrupted him, her expression and tone completely different from how they had been up till now. “Huh…?” It was a powerful rejection, coldhearted even. Mushiki widened his eyes Page 33 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
at this uncharacteristic rebuff. Seeing his reaction, Ruri shrugged slightly as if realizing how cold her voice had just turned. “Ah…no… What I’m trying to say is that it won’t do any good, having anyone else come with me! Not even you! I’ll be back as soon as it’s all sorted out, so just wait for me here…! No, scratch that! Just give up on becoming a mage already and leave the Garden, why don’t you?!” She pointed a finger at him before turning to leave the room—then stopped as though suddenly remembering something. “Right. I should let Madam Witch know what I’m doing.” “…” Mushiki and Kuroe exchanged silent looks. Naturally. After all, Ruri was already facing Saika’s body and consciousness. “Ah, maybe now’s not a good time?” Mushiki said. “I’m afraid so. Lady Saika mentioned that she had some urgent business to attend to,” Kuroe added. “Wh-what’s with you two? You’re weirdly in sync…” Ruri made a dubious face, but quickly shook her head to regain her composure. “… Well, if she’s busy, it can’t be helped. Tell Madam Witch not to worry, and that I’ll be right back. See you!” “Ah, Ruri!” Mushiki called out behind her, but she had already dashed out of the classroom. That was five days ago. There was still no news from her, though she should have long since made her way to see the Fuyajoh family head. Of course, they had tried to contact her. But whether by phone, email, or SNS, there was no response. It would have been understandable if she had simply ignored the messages sent from Mushiki. She still hadn’t accepted him as a mage yet, and she had only reluctantly shared her contact details at Hizumi’s and Kuroe’s urging. (Incidentally, ever since adding him as a friend on the messaging app, she has sent texts to him twice a day, once in the morning and at night—things like Give up on being a mage! or Get out of the Garden! or Have you brushed your teeth? or Don’t sleep in, you hear me? complete with angry stickers and emojis.) But the fact that she hadn’t even responded to any of the messages from Page 34 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com
Saika was certainly out of the ordinary. Either she was somewhere with no cellular reception, or she had lost her smartphone, or for whatever reason, she couldn’t use it… In any case, it was clear that something was amiss. Mushiki tapped on his smartphone’s screen in concern. “Kuga…” At that very moment, Hizumi called out to him. He couldn’t say she looked cheerful even as flattery. It wasn’t hard to imagine that she was harboring the same worries he was. “Nothing from Ruri?” she asked. “…No. You neither?” Hizumi nodded darkly. “Something must have happened. We can’t even get in contact with her…” After a moment of thoughtful silence, she turned to Kuroe with a determined look. “Um, Karasuma? Will Madam Witch be coming to class today?” “No. Lady Saika is taking the day off… But if there is anything you need, I can let her know,” she answered, her expression unwavering. “…The head of the Fuyajoh family is also the headmistress of the Ark, isn’t she? So I was wondering if Madam Witch could ask about Ruri…” Hizumi’s face was tense, and there was a slight tremor in her voice. She knew it was an unreasonable request. But even though she understood that, she still wanted to confirm Ruri’s safety. The light burning in the depths of her eyes revealed her willpower. Kuroe had both the capacity to recognize that determination and the generosity to heed it. Taking a deep breath, she answered, “I don’t like interfering in family affairs, but Knight Fuyajoh is a student of the Garden. It wouldn’t be strange for Lady Saika to be concerned about her welfare. I will ask her to reach out to the headmistress of the Ark.” “…! You will? Thank you!” Hizumi brightened up, taking Kuroe’s hands in hers. Kuroe wasn’t normally the type to show much emotion, but her eyes widened slightly in surprise. It was a cute reaction. “But please don’t expect too much,” she added. “For a mage, family is more than just a community. Not even Lady Saika can—” But at that moment, she suddenly fell silent. The reason for this soon became apparent. A blue flame-shaped bird had just flown through a small gap in the windows to enter the classroom. Page 35 Goldenagato | mp4directs.com